The present invention relates to closures, covers or lids for beverage or other liquid containers. It more particularly relates to closures having both a drinking or pouring opening and a smaller straw opening and wherein the closures are removably positionable on the mouths of cold beverage containers.
Liquid containers, cups or bottles which allow for both transportation and consumption of liquids may be used in athletic events, such as by participants in playground basketball games. The containers may comprise a bottle or cup which generally is made of a light weight material such as plastic, and a removable cover or closure can be disposed on the container for sealing the container against leaks and spills. The containers are often thermally insulated; for example, the container may have a double shell construction with the space between the shells containing a heat insulation medium such as polyurethane foam.
An example of a liquid container having a closure cover is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,936 to DeGrow. (This patent and all of the other patents mentioned anywhere in this disclosure are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.) The DeGrow closure cover or lid includes three radially aligned throughopenings, namely, a dispensing opening from which liquid may be poured which is disposed near the periphery of the lid, an axle opening disposed generally concentrically about the center point of the lid, and a vent opening disposed adjacent the axle opening which may be used for receiving a drinking straw therein. A stopper member disposed on the top surface of the lid includes a downwardly extending axle lug which is fitted into the axle opening. The lug allows the stopper member to be rotated parallel to the plane of the lid. The stopper member further includes a downwardly extending sealing flange which may be fitted into the dispensing opening to seal it and a centering boss which fits within a rib projecting upwardly from the vent opening. The stopper member includes a handle adjacent the extending flange.
In use, the sealing flange and centering boss of the stopper member of DeGrow are fitted into and seal the dispensing opening and vent opening, respectively, thereby allowing the fluid to be transported without spilling or leaking out of the container. The closure cover may be opened by lifting the handle and rotating the stopper member to unseal simultaneously the dispensing and vent openings, allowing liquid to be poured from the dispensing opening or a straw to be inserted into the vent opening. When it is desired to reseal the closure member, the stopper is simply rotated in the opposite direction, and the flange and centering boss are reseated in the appropriate openings.
Although DeGrow provides for a cover which includes both a pouring opening and a vent opening for receiving a straw, both openings must be opened simultaneously. Thus, for example, if it is desired to use a straw, the pouring opening must remain open. Further, the stopper has three downwardly extending flange members and the cover has three corresponding holes to be formed therethrough. DeGrow further requires a closure cover having an axle opening and a stopper member with an axle lug, both of which only serve to secure the stopper to the cover. Even further, the axle lug must be radially compressed and snap fitted into the axle opening, should it be desired to remove the stopper for thorough cleaning thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,961 to Van Melle discloses a thin disposable cover for use with a disposable plastic styrofoam or paper cup. The cover includes a foldback portion which may be torn inwardly from the periphery of the cover to create a drinking opening. The cover also includes a central protrusion which may be used to accommodate a straw. The upper surface of the cover has a pair of protruding tabs formed at the location of the foldback portion and a corresponding protrusion located inwardly from the foldback portion. When the foldback portion is torn and folded over, it is retained in a position away from the drinking opening thereby created due to a cooperation of the tabs and the protrusion. The Van Melle cover does not allow for selective alternate opening of both a drinking opening or a straw hole. In fact, the straw hole always remains open, and only the drinking opening would appear to be openable and closable. Further, as evidenced by the facts that the drinking opening is created by tearing and that the cover is designed for use with disposable containers, the cover would not appear to be designed for long term re-use. Rather, the cover would appear to permit the drinking opening to be opened or closed only a few times, most likely, for the consumption of only a single drink.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,865 to Turner shows a container lid with an integral stopper. The lid includes a rim portion and an integral closure portion which is sized and configured to be received in the single cover opening disposed in the lid. The lid also includes a pair of protrusions disposed upwardly from the rim portion on the side of the lid opposite the cover opening. The closure portion includes a lift tab and is pivotable from a position in which the closure portion is engaged within the cover opening, to a fully open position in which the lift tab is engaged and retained by the protrusions. Although Turner discloses a closure element which may be held open by engagement with an element protruding from the lid or cover, as in Van Melle, the closure element is designed to open or close for only a single pouring. Further, Turner requires a hinge element for securing the closure element to the remainder of the lid, thus complicating manufacture of the lid. In addition, the closure element may not be removed to facilitate cleaning.
Examples of other container closure or lid constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,411 to Elfelt et al., 4,202,459 to DeParales et al., 4,232,797 to Waterbury, 4,629,088 to Durgin, 4,738,373 to DeParales and 4,629,088 to Durgin. Many of these patents are concerned with disposable drinking cup lids with integral drink flaps which can be secured in open positions to the lid.
Accordingly, there is a need for a reusable beverage container including a reusable closure having a lid and stopper therefor which allows for both the selective and alternative opening and closing of both a pouring (or drinking) hole and a smaller straw hole, and also for such a closure which can be manufactured easily and inexpensively and in which the stopper can be removed repeatedly and easily to facilitate cleaning thereof.